GO 38 a flip side of GO 123

Hyderabad: The GO 38 issued by the State Government for acquisition of land is only a modification of the controversial GO 123, according to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the TRS Government was forced to issue new guidelines due to strong objection raised by the Congress party against GO 123.

Describing GO 38 as partial victory for the Congress party, he demanded that the State government acquire lands only under the Land Acquisition Act 2013.

He said the GO 38 too was incomplete and did neither include Social Impact Assessment nor Environment Impact Assessment in it. It would inflicit injustice on the farmers and other oustees.

Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the Narendra Modi government at the Centre too had several times tried to amend the Land Acquisition Act 2013 through an ordinance.

However, the Congress party not only resisted such moves, but foiled them. He said the acquisition of land under GO 123 was totally unconstitutional. He accused the TRS government of forcibly acquiring lands of small and marginal farmers to benefit a few corporate.

Meanwhile, former Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raj Narasimha said the State government had acquired nearly 30,000 acres of land without holding a single Grama Sabha.

He demanded that the State government come up with details of total land procured under GO 38. He also dismissed the charge by the TRS leaders that the Congress party was coming in the way of projects.

Congress senior leaders Kodanda Reddy, Dasoju Sravan and Bellaya Naik were also present in the press conference.